In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, The Macomb Daily and Daily Tribune, in cooperation with Oakland University, are offering a video timeline retrospective of the events leading up to the battle and a detailed account each day of the 3-day battle, which took place July 1-3, 1863.

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On July 3, 1863, after failing to dislodge Union troops from their flanking positions north and south of Cemetery Ridge, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee decided to attack the Union center.

Lee was convinced top Union Gen. George Meade had shifted troops to his flanks during the previous day’s ferocious fighting at Little Round Top, The Wheatfield, The Peach Orchard and Devil’s Den to the south and Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill to the north. In fact, Meade had anticipated strategy and the Union center was well fortified.

As he had done the day before senior Confederate Gen. James Longstreet begged Lee not to attack the Union line. He believed the Union position was too strong and could not be penetrated. But as he later stated, “Lee’s blood was up,” and Longstreet was again overruled. Lee was certain his men could do whatever was asked of them. Overnight, Meade had considered pulling out of his positions in Gettysburg, but his staff convinced him to stay and see what Lee might do.

Late on July 2, Confederate divisions under the command of Gen. George Pickett arrived in Gettysburg but had not participated in that day’s fighting. Since they were fresh compared to the rest of the troops in Gettysburg, Lee chose those three divisions to lead the center frontal assault.

Pickett, a dashing, perfumed general, was hungry for the glory he expected that the charge would deliver. He eagerly awaited the assault despite Longstreet’s concerns.

At about 1 p.m., Confederate artillery unleashed a massive barrage, close to 150 guns, on Union lines in an attempt to soften them up prior to Pickett’s Charge. The early shots were quite damaging, but in wasn’t long before Confederate shells started to go high and behind Union lines. The Union began to fire back, in what became the largest artillery duel of the war. Both scientists and historians have said the deafening roar that resulted from the guns was the loudest sound on the history of the planet up until that time.

But then the Union guns went quiet, in part to save some ammunition for the attack they expected to follow, but also to give the impression that Confederate guns have taken the Union guns out. There was so much smoke on the field, nobody knew if that was the case or not.

At about 3 p.m. about 12,000-13,000 infantrymen under Pickett’s command began the more than 1/2-mile march to Union lines that looked like suicide. Union forces, from behind their entrenched positions, marveled at the bravery of the southern men.

Union artillery would open up again, cutting huge holes into the Confederate lines, but the men moved forward nonetheless. When they got within Union musket range, Union troops fired as one, creating even more devastation. The few Confederate soldiers who made it to the Union line, known as the “Angle” were either killed or captured, but most never made it that far. Fewer than half of those who started the charge were able to retreat from it. As the southern men retreated, Lee went to the field aboard his horse Traveller, saying over and over again, “This was my fault. It was all my fault.” When Lee told Pickett to rally his division, Pickett replied, “General, I have no division.”

Years later, Pickett still spoke bitterly about “that old man” Lee, who had sent his men to slaughter.

Lee’s campaign into the north had been a failure. At the end of the third day in Gettysburg, the Confederates suffered more than 6,500 casualties, the Federals suffered about 1,500. For the 3-day campaign, more than 51,000 men had been lost. Union casualties were 23,055, while Confederate casualties are more difficult to estimate. Many authors have referred to as many as 28,000 Confederate casualties,